Fun Places to Visit

August 2009

August 31, 2009

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring September's SOTM, which is "Treasures," a set of 13 stamps. If you have come here from Sarita's Blog, you are on the right path!

This month we have over 60 extremely talented Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!Paper:CTMH Chocolate CS, CTMH Crysal Blue CS, CTMH Colonial Shite CS, CTMH “Twitterpated” B&T

Now "Hop" on over to Maricar's Blog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas! Remember, the September SOTM is only available until September 30th! Contact me today (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a discount or even free!

Here are some other projects made using this Stamp of the Month...

If you get lost on the hop or find links that aren't working, click HERE for a complete list of participating blogs.

Well, the CTMH September Stamp of the Month Blog Hop goes live in just five hours. The hop goes live at 12:00 midnight Mountain time. However, as I cannot schedule my posts to go active at a specified time, you will see it above shortly. Please remember that many of the participating consultants will not be posting until midnight. Below is a listing of the consultants that will be showcasing this lovely stamp set. Should you get lost somewhere along the way, you can always use this list to nagivate your way.

August 14, 2009

You can never say thank you too many times, or in too many different ways! Thank you to my readers who always leave such encouraging and positive comments. Thank you to those who continue visiting despite my occasional lapses in creativity. Thank you to my friends and family, who encourage me in all that I do. Thank you to my wonderful kitties, who keep me company and always seem to know when I need a snuggle. Thank you to my students, who've reached out over the years to let me know I've made a difference in their lives. Thank you , thank you, thank you...

I've really been on a roll with this new "Twitterpated" paper pack that is being released next month. CTMH really did a great job coming out with this wonderfully warm and colorful set. I think I like it so much because of how versatile it it. My favorite CTMH stamp set, "Thank You"is really getting a workout now. On this card, I've done some masking in order to get the design on the center of the card, stamping one part at a time, and combining different stamps from the set.

Today's posting is a little sneek peek of one of the new paper packs coming out this fall. There are some great things in the making with Close To My Heart for the fall season. Some changes, some new innovations, and of course, new patters of beautiful paper. This season's paper packs are keeping up with the most current trends in paper crafting and stamping, and bring to life some wonderful color combinations. My favorite so far is call "Twitterpated" and combines the warm earth tones like Chocolate, Desert Sand, and Colonial White, with bright and vibrant ones like Sweet Leaf, Crystal Blue, and Sorbet. It's a great combination for the coming season.

So, what I've got for you today is a quick little peek at the Workshop on the Go. In case you don't know what Workshop on the Go is...imagine that...it's a "kit" that comes with everything you need to create 2 fabulous two-page layouts and six cards, and more, all from the same paper pack. I made the two layouts in the kit and all six cards, and I still have TONS of paper left over. Are you ready to get a little taste of things to come...and I mean it when I say a "peek". I can't let the cat completely out of the bag!

I told you it was just going to be a little peek!! But at least you now have an idea. I do have another creation for you. This is not from the WOTG, but with all the leftover paper I had, I just couldn't resist playing some more.

This card is a standard A2 size card (5.5" x 4.25").

Paper: CTMH “Twitterpated”, Chocolate and Colonial White cardstock

Stamp set: CTMH Friendship Word Puzzle

Inks: CTMH Chocolate

Accessories: American Crafts ribbon & brads

And...before I go...just a picture to show you how difficult it can be for me to be creative. Sometimes it's just so hard to say no when someone wants your attention...

August 09, 2009

Yesterday I had a wonderful time celebrating my birthday! When I first woke up, I really didn't know how it was going to turn out. I had planned on heading over to Greenfield Village to watch the Historic World Series of Baseball. Mother Nature, however, had different plans! It was a steady downpour. Don't get me wrong, we need the rain, but not on my birthday {insert appropriate whine here}.

So what's the next best thing to do when it's raining out...LUNCH and a MOVIE!!! There just isn't much in the way of truly good Mexican food around here. Surprising, I know. My favorite place, Abuelo's, is about 30 minutes from home. So that's where we headed. After a great lunch, we ended up going out to the show and saw "Julie & Julia". It was great! Funny, tear-jerking, inspirational...all that a good movie should be. Meryl Streep is amazing as Julia Childs! By the time the movie ended, the rain had stopped and we headed to my favorite place...Starbucks! Have you ever tried a White Chocolate Mocha? It was wonderful. Much like a regular Mocha {my fav} but a little creamier. Interesting. And what goes so well with a Starbuck's White Chocolate Mocha...Godiva Chocolate covered strawberries! Decadence at its finest!

After relaxing and enjoying my WCMocha and strawberries, we headed to Archiver's. That's where I found this absolutely adorable stamp. I don't usually buy wood stamps, but I just couldn't resist the face on this one! It's called "Night Things" by Penny Black. I just love the smiling kitty and his friends...getting ready for a night of "Silly Wicked FUN."

Isn't he just precious?! The crooked little whiskers remind me of my Scooter.

August 06, 2009

Just a little background first...blogging can be a very dangerous thing. I, myself, have been know to loose hours and days somewhere in the blogosphere...and scrap/stamp bloggers are probably the worst! Each blog shows you great artwork, creativity, and "stuff" you just gotta have! That of course leads you to "Blogs I Follow" and "Here's where I got this wonderful stamp..." which is just an extension of the endless blogs and artwork that steer you in a whole new direction.

Well, a few months ago, one of the wonderful CTMH consultants, Jena DeVries, started a monthly blog hop to feature great CTMH products, but more specifically, our Stamp of the Month. The "membership" has skyrocketed. We now have over 60 very talented consultants participating on a regular basis.

Fast forward to today and the poem. Another consultant, Joy Anni, found her self lost in our blogosphere and it inspired her to create this little ditty. I'm sure it describes more than one of us out there.

Beware of the Blog hop It's dangerous you see This is the tale of what happened to me

I started with one ideas popped in my head I continued on hopping and much to my dread

The dishes lay dirty all soiled in the sink But every blog I visited caused me to think

Just one more It will be all right I looked at the clock it was close to midnight

To all you would be blogger Unless you have all day When you hear the blogger calling turn and run away.

Thank Joy! You've summed up my summer quite well. And in case you didn't get a chance to hop along on the Blogging Trail...follow this link to the place where it all began...midnight...August 1st!

August 03, 2009

YOU DO SO MUCH FOR EVERYONE ELSE; LET CLOSE TO MY HEART DO SOMETHING for you! This August 3–17, place a minimum order of $100 and you not only get the August Stamp of the Month, My Acrylix® It’s Your Day stamp set, for FREE, but we’ll throw in a My Reflections® Level 2 paper packet as well (a total retail value of $39.90)! How about even more thanks? We’ll also cover the tax and shipping/handling on the free products! Act fast, time is already running out. This Thanks-a-bration only lasts until August 17! Below are the GREAT possible paper packets you will receive:

National Stamping Month Celebrates the Everyday! September is National Stamping Month and we’re celebrating early and in a big way, with something for everyone! Between August 18–September 30 when you or your customers purchase a minimum of $60 in stamp sets (A, B, C, D, and E-size; some exclusions apply), you’ll receive a FREE Everyday Celebration card kit containing materials to handcraft 16 exquisite cards. Join the stamping festivities by making a qualifying purchase, or buy the kit outright for just $39.95. Hostesses and new Consultants can also get the card kit free during September. We’re also holding a drawing where we’ll give away an Everyday Celebration card kit each day in September.

Last but not least...Get ready for a BRAND NEW, REDESIGNED, FULLY LOADED fall/winter Idea Book!!! That's right...the new Idea Book release is just around the corner. September 1st you will see some great changes in the look of our wonderful Idea Book! But better than a new appearance, it's going to be absolutely loaded with great new paper packs and stamp sets. email me today to reserve your copy today and to get your special invitation to my Unveiling Party!!

August 01, 2009

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! We will be featuring August's SOTM, which is “It’s Your Day”, a set of 26 stamps. If you have come here from Nona'sBlog, you are on the right path! If this is your first stop, you may want to go back to Jena'sBlog and start from the beginning!

This month we have 63 amazing Close To My Heart Consultants sharing their creations using this month's SOTM and other great CTMH products on their blogs. This is simple to do - just click on the link at the end of the post on each blog to move to the next one! Here we go!

Now "Hop" on over to Cindy'sBlog to see her work! Be sure to visit all the Consultants at their Blogs to get some great crafting ideas and other fun ideas!Remember, the August SOTM is only available until August 31st! Contact me today (or click here) to see how you can get this stamp set at a great discount or even free!

So, how do you get in on the deal and snag our cute Stamp of the Month sets? Simple...

You spend:

$25 US$31.25 CAN

$50 US$62.50 CAN

$75 US$93.75 CAN

$100 US$124.95 CAN

You save:

25% off

50% off

75% off

100% off

You pay only:

$17.21 US$21.38 CAN

$11.48 US$14.25 CAN

$5.74 US$7.13 CAN

Free!

If you get lost on the hop or find links that aren't working, here is a complete list of participating blogs: